[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 14, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H1568]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               FAST TRACK

  (Mr. MEEHAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, it is time to get off the fast track of lost 
jobs and on the right track for our American workforce.
  In these very Chambers I hear that we just need to fix labor 
provisions and trade agreements and do a side deal on fast track and 
then the problem is solved. This is simply not good enough.
  I ask my fellow Democrats that this is a time to sound the alarm on 
fast track. Fast track hamstrings Congress' ability to fix our broken 
trade policies.
  The midterm elections show that most Americans understand that our 
current trade policies have failed.
  Over 3 million American manufacturing jobs, one out of every six 
manufacturing jobs, have been lost during the fast track era. The U.S. 
trade deficit has exploded as imports have surged. U.S. wages stagnate 
as trade deficits soar, displacing good U.S. jobs.
  Fast track trashes the checks and balances that are essential for our 
democracy. It is time to get Congress on the right track in the new 
majority. It is time for a new direction as we deal with trade 
agreements.




                          ____________________